Teeeitoet



(No Model. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. H. MQGREW.

RAILROAD DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 318,643. Patented May 26, 1885.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

NY PETERs. Phntu-Lflhognphwr, Wasllmgicln 0.0.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. H. MGGREW.

RAILROAD DITGHING MACHINE.

Patented May 26, 1885.

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS, Photoifihngrapbcr, Wishingwn. D C

lhyrrnn States Patent @rrrcn.

ALONZO I-I. MGGREIV, OF HURLEY, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

RAILROAD=DITCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,6k3, dated May 26, 1885.

Application filed December 11, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALONZO HENRY Mo- GREW, of Hurley, in the county of Turner and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Railroad-Ditching Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ditching-machines, and more especially to machines of this class adapted to open or trim ditches alongside the tracks of railways to facilitate proper drainage of the tracks; but the invention is adapted also for use in excavating railroad-beds, or in other situations.

The invention consists in particular con structions and combinations of parts of the ditching rnachine, whereby it is made capable of doing a large amount of work with maximum economy of time and labor, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved ditchingmachine, showing the left-hand scoop at work and the right-hand scoop laid up on the car. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine with the parts disposed as in Fig. 1, and showing in dotted lines the position of the derrick when the ditching-scoop hangs vertically, nose downward, for discharging its load. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the positions of the parts just prior to lifting the filled lefthand scoop from the ditch, and showing in dotted lines the said scoop laid up on the car; and Fig. 4. is a detail sectional plan view of one side portion of the car with the derrick in horizontal section.

The letter A indicates the floor of a platform-car. B are the longitudinally-ranging side sills of the car, and the letters 0 indicate the wheeled trucks of the car, which may have any suitable construction. v

At D is shown a cross-beam, which is fastened securely to and beneath the opposite sills B of the ear, and projects beyond them sufficiently at each side of the car to form bearings or supports for the lower pivots, e, of the posts e of the opposite derricks E, the upper pivots, e, of which have their bearings in the (No model.)

ends of a cross-beam, F, which is held directly over the lower eross-beam, D, and is made fast to the top beams,' r of frames G, which beams g are fixed to the posts g, which rise from the sills B of the car. Blocks (1 (2 may be fastened to the sills B and to the cross-beam D, near each end of the beam, to give it more substantial support.

I make the post 0 of each derrick E with a central slot, 0", at the upper end of which, between the opposite side parts of the post, is fixed the arm or gib c and braces c 0 connect the outer end of the arm with the lower 'end of the post 6.

At the inner face of the post 0 is attached a suitable windlass or winch, E, from which a rope or chain, II, passes through the slot e to a sheave or roller, 71, at the outer end of the arm a, whence it hangs to connect by a ring, h, with the longitudinally-ranging center bar, i, of abail, I, fixed to the ditching scoop J, which also has a transversely-ranging forward bail, K, with the center eye, It, with which the hook l on the end of a chain, L, may be connected, and the other end of the chain L is connected to the end of a stout arm or draft-beam, M, which is pivoted at m to the platform A, and a stoppin, N, is fixed in the platform so as to limit the swing ofthe beam l\[ and hold it about at a right angle with the side of the car when the scoop is at work. A

I make the scoop-bail I of a couple of rods or bars, which have end parts, i, bent outwardly from their main center portions, which lie close together and form the bar 2' of the hail, the ends of the bars curving downward to connect with the side parts of the body of the scoop, as seen best in Fig. 2.

At each side of the car-platform and around the posts a of the opposite derricks E is formed an opening, 0, which has a series of notches, 1 2 3 4, made in the platform opening into it, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, and at the side of the car-platform near the opening 0 is formed an opening, I, into which the bracebars e of the derricks are adapted to enter.

The letter B indicates a lever which is pivoted at 1' between the brace-bars 0 e of each derrick, and passes also between the side pieces of the derrick-posts c and is adapted to be set into any one of the notches 1 2 3 4, the inner end of the lever being shaped as a handle by which the lever may be operated from the platform of the ear to swing the derrick around.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I provide draftbeains M at each side of both ends of the car to allow the draft-chains L of two scoops, J, one at each side of the car, to be connected with the opposite side beams M at either end of the car, so that the scoops may be worked while the ditcher is running in either direction to cut or trim or deepen ditches at both sides of the track T at once, or at one side only, as desired.

To provide for laying up the scoops J J, one on each end of the ditcher, when out of use, and so as to distribute the weight of the scoops and derricks evenly over the car, I swing the derricks opposite ways toward the sides of the car. For instance, the right-hand derrick will be swung forward toward one end of the car, and the left-hand derrick will be swung rearward toward the opposite end of the car, so that the levers 1% of the derricks may be locked into the notches 1 at opposite sides of the car, while the derrickbraces 6 swing into the notches P at the other sides of the openings O. This disposal of the derricks compels the notches l P at opposite sides of the car to be reversed in position with relation to the opposite center notches, 3 3, as will read ily be understood.

The operation is as follows: We will suppose that the ditcher is moving along therailway-track T toward the left hand, and that a ditch, S, is to be cut or opened at both sides of the track at once. The draft-bars M Mat the left-hand end of the car are swung outward, and their chains L will support the front ends or noses of the scoops J at about the right height when the derricks are held by their levers R, entered in the platformnotches 2, and the ropes or chains H will be drawn upon by turning the windlasses E of the derricks to give the scoops the desired pitch for regulating the depth of their cut. The ditcher will now be drawn or pushed forward until the scoops fill with earth,when the car will be stopped and the levers R will be shifted from the notches 2 to the notches 4, which will swing the derricks from the position shown at the left-hand side of the ear in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the ropes H being slackened alittle topermit this movement, and as the derricks swing forward the rings h, connecting the ropes H with the bails I, will slide from the back ends of the bars t of bails I to the forward ends of the bars, so that when the ropes H are wound upon their windlasses E to lift the scoops from the ditches the scoops will hang nose upward to prevent the earth from falling back into the ditches, and when the earth is to be disor into chutes, which will carry the earth to one side of the ditches, the levers R will be lifted from the notches 4t and be swung over and set again into the notches 2, which, in connection with the pull of the draft-chains L on the scoops, will slide the rings h of the ropes H to the back ends of the bail rods i, and the scoops then will hang from the chains L and ropes H with their noses inclined downward, to allow the earth to slide from the scoops, and should the earth stick to the scoops the levers B will be lifted from notches 2 and will be set into the notches 3, as in dotted lines in Fig. 2, which will swing the derricks around to slacken the draft-chains L sufficiently to allow the scoops to hang nose downward in about a vertical position, to insure the discharge of the earth from the scoops. set into notches 2, and the empty scoops be lowered for another load, the car being drawn,

or pushed forward to continue the work, in the manner above described.

When the work is finished the ropes or chains H will be slackened, and the derrick- The levers R now may be levers R will be set into the notches 4, the V draftchains L will be unhooked from the scoops, and the windlasses will be operated to raise the scoops above the level of the carplatform, whereupon the levers R will be set into the notches 1, which will carry the derrick-braces 0 into their respective notches P at the sides of the car, and lock the derricks against swinging outward, and at the same time swing the scoops one onto each end of the car, and the pins N being removed the draft-beams and chains M L will be swung inward on the pivots m onto the car, and the machine is ready for travel over the road.

In working the ditcher in the opposite direction the draft-chains L of the scoops will be connected to the beams M at the other end of the car, and in loading and discharging the scoops the levers R will be set into the notches 2 3 4 in reverse order to that above described, as will readily be understood.

By extending the derrick-posts below the platform of the car the derricks may be made sufficient] y large for the work without extending more than siX feet, or thereabout, above the car-floor, which prevents top-heaviness or instability of the car, allowing it to be run over the road with safety at a high rate of speed.

It is evident that the ditching-machine may be constructed with a derrick and scoop at one side only for particular uses in special locations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A ditching-machine constructed with a movable platform, horizontally-swinging derricks, levers pivoted to the derricks and adapted to enter notches or catches on the platform,

ditching-scoops suspended from the derricks by ropes or chains, means for hauling in and paying out the ropes for raising and lowering the scoops, and draft ropes or chains connect ing the scoops with the platform,substantially as herein set forth.

2. In ditching-machines, the combination, with a movable platform, A, of derricks E, mounted to swing in horizontal plane, and provided with windlasses E, and means for holding the derricks in position, ropes H, leading from the windlasses to the scoops J, which have longitudinally-ranging bail-bars i with which the ropes H connect by slip-rings, and draft-chains L,connecting the forward ends of the scoops with the platform A, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In ditching-machines, the combination, with a movable platform, A, of horizontallyswinging derricks E, having windlasses E, and means for holding the derricks in position, ropes H, scoops J,having longitudinallyranging rear bail-bars, t, with which the ropes H connect by slip-rings, and draft-chains L, connecting the forward ends of the scoops with draft-beams M, pivoted to the platform, and means for holding said beams extended laterally from the platform, substantially as herein set forth.

4. In ditching-machines, the combination, with a movable platform, A, of horizontallyswinging derricks E, having windlasses E, provided with ropes H, which are connected by slip-rings to longitudinally-ranging bail barst' of the scoops J, substantially as specified, of levers It, pivoted to the derricks, notches 2 4, in the platform, and flexible draft-connections from the front ends of the scoops to the platform, substantially as here in set forth.

5. In ditching-machines, the combination, with a movable platform, A, of horizontallyswinging derricks E, having windlasses E, with ropes H, connected by slip-rings to the bail-bars z of scoops J, substantially as speciiied, of levers R, pivoted to the derriclzs, notches 2 3 4 in the platform, and flexible draft-connections from theforward ends of the scoops to the platform, substantially as herein set forth.

6. In ditchingmachincs, the combination,

with a movable platform, A, of horizontallyswinging derricks E, having windlasses E, with ropes H, connected by slip-rings to the bail-bars i of scoops J, substantially as specified, of levers R, pivoted to the derricks,and notches l 2 3 4 I? in the platform, and flexible draft-connections from the forward ends of the scoops to the platform, substantially as herein set forth.

7. In ditching-machines, the combination, with a movable platform, A, of horizontallyswinging derrioks E, having windlasses, E,

with ropes H, connected by slip-rings to longitudinally-ranging bail-bars t of scoops J, substantially as specified, of levers R, pivoted to the derricks, notches 1 2 3 at P in the platform, and chains, L connected to bails K at the forward ends of the scoops J, and to draftbeams M, pivoted at m to the platform A, and means for holding the beams M against the pull of the scoops, substantially as herein set forth.

8. A ditching-machine constructed with two derricks, E E, pivoted to swing horizontally one at each side of a moving platform, A, and having windlasses E, with ropes H, connected with ditching-scoops J, which have draft-connections to the platform, and said derricks having pivoted levers R, adapted to enter notches l of the platform, which also has notches P, as specified, and said notches 1 I? being reversely arranged at opposite sides of the car to allow the opposite derricks to be swung toward opposite ends of the car and be locked in place, and also allowing the scoops to be laid by the derricks one on each end of the car platform, to evenly distribute the weight thereon, substantially as herein set forth.

9. In ditching-machines, the ditching-scoop constructed with means for connecting a draft rope or chain to its forward end, and with a rear bail, I, having a longitudinally-ranging bar, z, extending from the rear end of the scoop to a point forward of its transverse center, substantially as herein set forth.

10. In ditching-machines, the ditchingscoop constructed with a forward bail, K, and a rear bail, I, having a longitudinally-ranging bar, 13, extending from the rear end of the scoop to a point forward of its transverse center, substantially as herein set forth.

11. In ditchingmachines, the ditchingscoop constructed with a forward bail, K, and with a rear bail, I, formed of two bars or rods lying together to form the central longitudinally-ranging bar, '5, and having ends t" bent toward and made fast to the sides of the scoop, substantially as herein set forth.

12. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the platform A, of a derrick E, provided with a windlass, and having the lever R, an ranged to be engaged with notches in the side of the platform, the rope H, the scoop J ,draftchain L, and pivoted draft-beam M, substantially as shown and described.

ALONZO H. MCG'REW.

Vi tnesses:

J. E. MILLER, J. H. GALLAGER.

IOU 

